St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-06
NENG N Z VdRs5A I'd Ia n S.
Broad Hint That the People Need
Relief.

The large quantities Of lands held by the
various railroad companies free from taxa
ton is subject which has attracted the at
tention of the people of the state. There is
an evident impression in the minds of many
that some action can or ought to be taken
looking to the taxation of such lands. They
lie largely in the more sparsely settled por-
tons OF the state where the people are strug-
Cling against great odds to make homes for
themselves and their posterity. Court houses
and other county buildings are to be erected
and paid Tor; school houses built and schools
maintaihed; roads opened and worked-in
short, ali the necessary adjunctS to thriving
community are to lie called into being by the
efforts and money of the hardy pioneer.
Every other section, or more. perhaps, of the
land in the county or district IN which he
has settled belongs to some one of these
giant corporations, and is held by it freed
from any liability to contribute farthing to
the Improvement which is constantly and
rapidly en- hancing the value of its holdings.
The question of the taXability of these lands
has been in number of cases and in different
forms before our supreme court In almost
every such instance the state has been met
with the provisions contained in the charters
of these companies, which gra ut
IMMUNITY FROM TAXATION
until a lie or conveyance of such lands 1t
is for you to thoroughly investigate the status
of such lands, and see if there is any way by
which you can obtain relief to the people in
this matter. In connection with the legisla-
tiol proposed by the railroad and warehouse
commission, would suggest for your consid-
GRAFTON whether it is not both right and prac-
tlcable that the railway companies, which
handle nearly all of the grain raised for mar
ket in the state, should not be required, when
not receiving the same into cars directly upon
delivery to them, to furnish storage for it in
elevators or grain houses at the stations
where the gram is received for shipment, free
OF expense TO the shipper. Is there any sound
reason for II aking grain an exception to tue
general rule that common carriers shall re-
ceive freight, and if not shipped at once,
shall furnish storage from the time it is
offered for shipment until ready to be deliv-
cred to the consignee? That such require
ment would ,-.
INVOLVE THE COMPANIES -..l
in much expense and no little inconvenience
at first must be admitted and if the system
should be inaugurated a reasonable time
should certainly be given the companies to
furnish suitable storage structures. The
proposed plan might, to limited extent, dis
place elevators and grain houses now en-
ployed by other companies or persons. but
doubt if its effect in this direction would be
material. The greater part of the grain now
received by such houses is not delivered for
transportation, but is either sold for cash or
receipts are taken by the producer with in
tent to sell at a future day and without ship
ping from the receiving station. Were the
plan suggested put in operation it is not per-
ceived that it would interfere with the facili-
ties for buying. receiving or storing of grain
wherever such traffic is could he carried
on, but it would ceI tainly stimulate railroad
companies to provide. as far as possible, the
necessary cars for The immediate shipment Of
grain as offered. No grain, of course, would
be delivered to the companies but such as
the owners desired to have Immediately
shipped
TIE MOST OBVIOUS REASON
for making grain an exception to the rule in
sections where raised in great abundance is
that the bulk of the crop intended for sale is
thrown upon the maj ket few months af err
harvest, ana hence it would be unreasonable
to require the companies to provide the nee
eSSary tranSp ortation to move it in so limited
a time, or to store it for want of ears to haul
it away. But as the wheat farmer becomes
more forehanded, and is not compelled to re-
alize on his crops Immediately, he will largely
provide his own storage. and this objection
would soon be very greatly diminished. In
this connection it would be we'll to consider
whether the objections to the proposed plan
are not TO some extent found ID on partici-
patton in the elevator profits by some of the
officers OF managers of the roads, rather than
on the plan itself. Whether or not these sug-
gestions should be considered by you worthy
to be formulated into a legal enactment /
have no hesitation in recommending such
legislation as will make it penal offense for
any person owning, operating or managing a
railroad in the state to participate in any
profits derived from an elevator, grain house.
wood or coal yard, located on the line of his
road.